Small Form Factor Multi-Fiber Connector

ABSTRACT

A fiber optic connector has a housing and a ferrule contained within the housing. The ferrule has a base portion, an endface portion protruding from the base, and at least one alignment tower extending from the base portion parallel to the endface portion. In one embodiment, the ferrule can have one alignment tower on each side of the endface portion. In one embodiment. The alignment towers extend the same distance from the base portion as the endface portion. In another embodiment, the alignment towers may be connected to the endface portion via webbing.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/429,601, filed on Jun. 3, 2019, which issued as U.S. Pat. No.10,948,663 on Mar. 16, 2021, which claims priority to U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 62/680,642, filed Jun. 5, 2018, the subject matter ofwhich is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to fiber optic connectors and morespecifically to small form factor multi-fiber connectors.

BACKGROUND

The Next Generation Data Center Connector (NGDC) is a 12 fiber MPOconnector with a small form factor. The design allows for a connectorwith 12 fibers to fit into an adapter which fits into approximately thesame size opening as a simplex LC adapter. As shown in FIG. 1, with thisdesign, 144 NGDC adapters 1 can fit into a 1RU patch panel 2, providing1728 fibers per RU.

FIGS. 2-5 show the NGDC adapter and connector. Pins 3 held in each MaleNGDC adapter 4 align the connectors inside the Male NGDC adapter wheninteracting with holes 5 located in the Female NGDC ferrule 6. With thisdesign, the female features are located on the NGDC ferrule and the malefeatures are located inside the NGDC adapter. The pins are held in theMale adapter using a metal bracket 7 and supported by circular moldedfeatures 8. The metal bracket does not offer much support to the pins,leaving the pins and bracket susceptible to bending during connectorinsertion and pin cleaning with swabs, possibly causing misalignment andor damage to the connector's ferrule alignment holes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a 1 RU patch panel using Next GenerationData Center (NGDC) adapters.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an NGDC adapter.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the NGDC adapter of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an NGDC connector.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the NGDC adapter of FIG. 2 with one of thepins removed to show the features used to hold the pins in the adapter.

FIG. 6 is a front isometric view of a front half of a Female SplitSleeve Adapter (FSSA).

FIG. 7 is a rear isometric view of the front FSSA half of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the front FSSA half highlighting thecylindrical holes used to hold the split sleeves.

FIG. 9 is a front isometric view of a rear FSSA half.

FIG. 10 is a rear isometric view of the rear FSSA half of FIG. 10.

FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a split sleeve to be used in the FSSA.

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a metal clip to be used with the FSSA.

FIG. 13a is an isometric view showing the assembly of an FSSA andspecifically showing a completely disassembled state.

FIG. 13b is an isometric view showing the assembly of an FSSA andspecifically showing the split sleeves being placed in the front half ofthe FSSA.

FIG. 13c is an isometric view showing the assembly of an FSSA andspecifically showing the front half of the FSSA being secured to therear half of the FSSA.

FIG. 13d is an isometric view showing the assembly of an FSSA andspecifically showing a fully assembled FSSA.

FIG. 14 is a front isometric view of a Male NGDC Ferrule (MNF).

FIG. 15 is a front isometric view of a connector using the MNF of FIG.14

FIG. 16 shows that the alignment towers of the MNF should not be proudof the ferrule.

FIG. 17 is an isometric view of two connectors with MNF ferrulesinstalled in a FSSA.

FIG. 18 shows a cross section view of 2 MNFs installed in a FSSA usingsplit sleeves.

FIG. 19 is an isometric view of a first alternative MNF.

FIG. 20 is an isometric view of a keyed split sleeve to go with thealternate MNF of FIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative FSSA with keyingfeatures for the keyed split sleeve of FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is an isometric view of a second alternative MNF.

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of two alternate MNFs of FIG. 22installed in a FSSA.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The new design described in this application offers more support for theconnectors, and, eliminates the possibility of pin or support bracketdamage and misalignment by using split sleeves or similar devices in theadapter to align male features on the multi-fiber ferrule. For thefollowing design, the female features would be located in the NGDCadapter and the male features would be located on the NGDC ferrule.Currently, LC and SC connectors utilize similar designs.

The first part included in the FSSA is the front adapter half 9 shown inFIGS. 6, 7, and 8. Cylindrical holes 10 will be used to hold 2 separatesplit sleeves 15 (see FIG. 11). A plastic lip 11 will be used to keepthe split sleeve from falling out of the adapter. Windows 12 will beused to attach the rear adapter half of the FSSA to the front half.

The second part included in the FSSA is the rear adapter half 13, shownin FIGS. 9 and 10. Male latch features 14 allow the rear half and fronthalf of the FSSA to be secured together. Similar to the front half, therear half of the FSSA includes the cylindrical holes 10 and plastic lips11 to prohibit movement of the split sleeves when assembled.

The third part included in the FSSA is the split sleeve 15 shown in FIG.11. The split sleeve will be similar to the ceramic split sleeve seen inLC and SC adapters, but could be made from another material orincorporated into an adapter half. Two split sleeves can be placed ineach adapter.

The final part, the metal clip 16 included in the FSSA is seen both inthe Male NGDC adapter and the preferred Female Split Sleeve Adapter. Themetal clip is placed around the adapter to allow the adapter to besnapped into patch panels using flexible fingers 17.

To assemble the FSSA, as shown in FIGS. 13a-d , split sleeves 15 must beplaced into the front half of the FSSA 9. The plastic lips will stop thesplit sleeves from falling out of the cylindrical holes. The rear halfof FSSA 13 will be attached to the front half of the FSSA, utilizing thelatching features located on both halves of the FSSA. The plastic lipslocated on the front and rear halves of the FSSA will prohibit movementof the split sleeves after attachment is complete. The metal clip 16will be placed around the FSSA to complete the assembly of the FSSA.

FIG. 14 shows an MNF 18. The MNF 18 has a base portion 34 with anendface portion 35 protruding from the base portion. Two cylindricalalignment towers 19 also protrude from the base portion 34 parallel andon either side of the endface portion 35. In order to use the FSSA, theMNF 18 (FIG. 14) must have male features to interact with the splitsleeves (not shown) located in the FSSA. The male features are the twocylindrical alignment towers 19 located on each side of the MNF. The twotowers can be designed as an integral part of the ferrule, or could beseparate components which can be inserted into the ferrule withinreceiving hole or insert molded. In a preferred embodiment, the towers19 are not proud of the endface of the ferrule. The NGDC connector 20with the MNF ferrule (FIG. 15) can be used with the FSSA to properlyalign 12 fibers inside each FSSA when two connectors are mated such thatthe opposing fiber makes physical contact (FIGS. 17 and 18).

As shown in FIGS. 19-21, a first alternative embodiment shows moldedwebs 21 which can be added to provide additional support to thecylindrical alignment towers located on the NGDC ferrule 22. A splitsleeve slot 23 fits around the web to properly hold the ferrule. Keyingfeatures 26 must be added to a possibly molded split sleeve 27 to ensureno rotation of the split sleeve within the adapter (See FIGS. 20 and21).

As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, a second alternative embodiment has insteadof having two towers in the ferrule, one cylindrical tower 24 can beused to properly center the NGDC ferrule 25 inside of the FSSA. Whenmated to another ferrule, the cylindrical towers 24 will be on oppositesides of each other, allowing the ferrules to align properly within thesplit sleeves 15. A modified polishing machine would be needed toproperly polish the ferrule as the cylindrical tower 24 stands proud ofthe ferrule endface.

While particular embodiments and applications of the present inventionhave been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction and compositionsdisclosed herein and that various modifications, changes, and variationsmay be apparent from the foregoing without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as described.

1. A fiber optic connector system comprising: an adapter; a first fiberoptic connector with a first ferrule; and a second fiber optic connectorwith a second ferrule wherein each of the first ferrule and the secondferrule has a base portion, an endface portion protruding from the baseportion, and an alignment tower on one side of the endface portion thatstands proud of the endface portion such that when the connectors aremated through the adapter the alignment towers will be on opposite sidesof the endface portions of the ferrules.
 2. The fiber optic connectorsystem of claim 1 wherein the alignment towers are inserted throughsplit sleeves in the adapter when mating the connectors.